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PROGRAM
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CLIPPER
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GENCLP20
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GENCLP.DOC
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PACKAGE
=======
- GENCLP.DOC This file
- GEN.BAT Start up the generator to generate English sources
- NGEN.BAT Start up the generator to generate Dutch sources
- GENCLP.EXE The generator
- VHA.CH Include file needed at compile-time
- GEN.LIB English user-interface library needed at link-time
- NGEN.LIB Dutch user-interface library needed at link-time
- ORDER.FRM Form to order PERSONAL registration-number
- GENLIB.NG Norton guide of (N)GEN.LIB
GENCLP version 2.0
==================
- Creates error-free multi-user Clipper program sources (Object-Oriented-
like) for a complete working system
- Creates sources of GEN.LIB or NGEN.LIB
- Checks consistency of defined system
- Creates compile/link MAKE files
- Includes meta-data repository
SOURCES
=======
- Full standard Clipper code
- Full generator-independent
- Full customizable
- Efficient recordlocking mechanisms for effective networking
- Automatic color-screen detection and support
- Multi-page screen support (PgUp/PgDn) without disturbing GET validations
- Quik screen exit (PgDn) without disturbing GET validations
- Automatic DBF and NTX creation on first start up
- Helpscreens on strategic moments
- Re-index facility
- Recycling of deleted records (eliminates use of PACK command)
- Data integrity support to maintain unique keys in DBF
- Key search facility
- Controlled DBF print facility
- Look and feel menu-structures
- Prepared to use authorization mechanisms
- Structured modular
INSTALLATION GUIDELINES
=======================
1. Copy GENCLP files to harddisk
2. Set FILES=65 in CONFIG.SYS (or higher)
3. Set CLIPPER=F65 in AUTOEXEC.BAT (or higher)
4. Restart your PC after changing CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT
GETTING STARTED
===============
1. After correct installation, start the generator by entering GEN (GEN.BAT)
to generate English sources or NGEN (NGEN.BAT) to generate Dutch sources.
2. The program will create a demo setup, which includes:
- Demosystem description
- Field definitions
- File definitions
- File/field relationships
- File/keyfield specifications
3. After a few moments the mainmenu will appear:
- Application generator : Start application definition/generation
- Generate (N)GEN.LIB sources: Generate sources of (N)GEN.LIB
- Re-index : Re-index the generator files
4. After selecting "Application generator" the predefined demosystem descrip-
tion will be shown. Use F1 for information.
5. After [Enter] the second menu will appear:
- Define fields : Add/change/delete field definitions
- Define files : Add/change/delete file definitions
- Generate application: Create complete system sources
6. After selecting "Define fields" or "Define files" use F1 for information.
7. After selecting "Define files" you may select a file and press [Enter].
A menu will appear to assign fields to the selected file and to assign
keyfields to the selected file. Prior to assigning keyfields, fields have
to be assigned to the file and prior to assigning fields to the file,
you must have defined fields.
8. After selecting "Generate application" a consistency check will be
performed, which may result in the following error messages:
- E010: No files for system <systemname>
- E020: No fields for file <filename>
- E030: No keyfields for file <filename>
- E040: Fieldname must not be equal to filename: <filename>
- E050: Fieldname must not begin with systemname: <systemname>
- E060: Filename must not begin with systemname: <systemname>
These messages are self-explaining
If no errors occur, the sources will be generated. The result is scrolling
on the screen while the generation is proceeding. The process can be
aborted by pressing [Esc]. After completion, the following files will exist
exist in the current directory:
- BAT file for compile and link
- RMK file for rmake
- LNK file for link
- BAT file for start up
- PRG program files
- CH include file
9. Start <sysname>MAKE.BAT to compile and link the generated sources.
Make sure that the Clipper-compiler, -linker and -rmake utility files
are accessible.
Make sure that the generated <sysname>.CH is accessible during compile and
link.
Make sure that the (N)GEN.LIB and VHA.CH are accessible during compile and
link.
(N)GEN.LIB must be the first library in the linklist before CLIPPER.LIB
and EXTEND.LIB during linking. This is because of the (slightly) customized
GET system, that has to overrule the default Clipper GET system (this is
already in place in the generated <sysname>MAKE.BAT file).
10. Start <sysname>.BAT to start the generated system.
REGISTRATION-NUMBER
===================
- When you have received a PERSONAL registration-number, you must change
the GEN.BAT and/or the NGEN.BAT files.
GEN.BAT (English version) change line:
┌────────────────────────────────┐
│genclp E │
└────────────────────────────────┘
Into:
┌────────────────────────────────┐
│genclp E xxx... │
└────────────────────────────────┘
Where xxx... is your PERSONAL registration number.
NGEN.BAT (Dutch version) change line:
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│genclp N │
└───────────────────────────────┘
Into:
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│genclp N xxx... │
└───────────────────────────────┘
Where xxx... is your PERSONAL registration number.
Your registration-number is secret. It is not allowed to make it known
to anybody. Only if you respect this obligation, the ShareWare concept
will work, which means that you will be supplied with new and improved
professional products at a very low price (10 US-dollar for this generator).
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
=====================
Q. What is GENCLP?
A. GENCLP is a Clipper source-code generator.
Q. Do I depend on the generator after the sources have been generated?
A. No, after the sources have been generated, you are fully independed
of the generator. The only thing you must do is linking (N)GEN.LIB
to you application as the first library (before CLIPPER.LIB and
EXTEND.LIB). You can change the sources in any way you wish. Even the
(N)GEN.LIB functions can be modified as all sources of (N)GEN.LIB can
be generated with the generator.
Q. Which Clipper version is supported?
A. The generator sources are in Clipper 5.01, but as all future Clipper
5.x versions are downward compatible, the generator can be used for
all these future Clipper releases. In case any compatibility problem
might occur, a modified version of GENCLP will be released, which does
not need a new registration-number.
Q. Does GENCLP also support other XBase dialects, such as FoxPro?
A. The generator has not been designed for this purpose, but as the
sources of (N)GEN.LIB can be generated and as the generated sources
may be changed, you might change the programs to be accepted by any
other Xbase-dialect compiler or interpreter.
Q. How can I customize the messages and texts to my native language?
A. Change all text-strings in the sources of (N)GEN.LIB to your preferred
language and rebuild the library.
Create preprocessor directives to change all text-strings in the generated
sources to your preferred language and place these directives in VHA.CH.
After compile and link, the generated system will pop-up in your native
language.
Q. Is a screen-painter available?
A. No, the generator has been designed to speed up the development of
applications. Therfore the generator itself calculates an optimal default
screen layout. As the screen build-up code can easily be isolated in the
generated source, you can customize it there. In most cases however, you
won't need to change the generated screen layout. This is the quickest
way of setting up a system.
Q. Why is there no packing function available in the generated system?
A. Because you don't need one. A mechanism is implemented in the generated
sources, that recycles deleted records if there are any, so in systems
with growing or stable databases, no deleted records will mess up your
system. If you have ceasing databases, one might wonder if packing is
required, as the system is doomed to disapear (when the database is empty).
If you create your own packing function, it won't harm the system.
Q. Can I use the generated system on a network?
A. Without any problem. The generated sources are fully multi-user prepared
with an adequate record-locking mechanism.
Q. Are referential database relationship rules supported?
A. No, GENCLP has been designed to set up correctly working related programs,
which can easily be modified to customize the system in a very flexible
way. Referential database relations can be added to the generated system-
skeleton after having showed and discussed the system with your user.
Prototyping is the keyword.
Q. How much must I pay for the registration-number?
A. To get a PERSONAL registration-number, you have to send a 10 US-dollar
banknote to:
JGM van Hoof
Asterdkraag 19
4823 GC BREDA
The Netherlands
Or transfer Dutch fl. 20,-- to Postbank 333 49 15 of JGM van Hoof, Breda.
In a few days you will receive your PERSONAL registration-number
CREDITS
=======
I am a professional software developer for over 15 years. I try to develop
high quality ShareWare products and distribute these around the world at the
lowest possible price. Regular companies would pay 100 to 1000 times as much
when they have the same products developed by a software-house.
Of course this concept only works if registration fees are payed. And if
registration-numbers are kept secret.
If this obligation is respected, I will go on improving the generator to
a most sophisticated one with lots of additional options like referential
database relationship support, extensive report- and query-support, improved
national language support etc. I will also keep track with futher Clipper
releases and lead the generator into Aspen's world of ObjectVision, Windows
and New Technology.
Suggestions on this generator or new products are welcome.
Jack van Hoof.